Mary Ellen
Rees
Ellen Rees,
as she was called, was born 23 April 1827 at Dale, Pembroke, and South Wales. Her parents Charles Winchester Rees, an
agricultural laborer, born 21 Jul 1806 and Maria Waters (born about 1793) were
also born in Dale, Pembroke, Wales. Ellen was the
second child and the second daughter of a family of five children. There are
two additional older Rees siblings mentioned in the International Genealogy
Index that is likely an error.
She
was baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by Thomas
Evans. Ellen Rees married John Davies 18 Mar 1855 in Haverford West at the age
of 26. She was living in Dale at the time. They migrated to Provo, Utah
28 Aug 1880. Ellen was a housewife with good health who enjoyed her children
and being charitable. Her eyes were gray and her hair was dark brown. Her Utah State
death certificate stated she died of bronchial phenomena in Provo, Utah
28 Dec 1904. It was noted in her son Charles Edwin Davies History that
she was a kind patient woman who played games with her children, sang songs
with them and taught them how to work.
Of interest
was an e-mail I received from Welsh Mormon History expert Ronald D. Dennis,
Professor of Portuguese and Welsh Language at Brigham
Young University,
giving a compilation of general voyage notes from the sailing of the Wisconsin to America 11 Jul 1880. "The
third company of the emigration of this season left Liverpool
about noon on Saturday, July 10, 1880 on the S. S. Wisconsin. An extensive
organization of the large company of Mormon emigrants was made before sailing. The Scandinavian portion of the company, including Danes, Swedes
and Norwegians, numbered 594 souls, and the British, including English, Scotch
and Welsh, 113, making a total of 707. Adding twenty elders returning
from missions, the entire company would reach 727.
"The
weather was fine on Saturday, the company seemed in good spirits, and sailed
for the west apparently under most excellent auspices. May the Most High
protect them by sea and land, and give them a safe and prosperous journey to
the home of the Saints.
"A
company of 248 emigrating Saints from the Scandinavian Mission sailed from Copenhagen July 5, 1880,
at 6 o'clock p.m., as passengers on board the steamship 'Leo.' The emigrants continued by rail to Liverpool
and there embarked on the steamer Wisconsin together with 113 British
Saints and five more returning missionaries. The Wisconsin
sailed from Liverpool July 10th, and arrived in New York in the evening
of the 20th. Next morning (July 21st) the emigrants went
ashore at Castle Garden, and on the 22nd the
journey by rail westward was begun. The company arrived in Ogden, Utah,
July 24th. A child four months old died on the cars and was buried
at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. But the company was increased
by one on July 19th, when Hans Petersen's wife on board the Wisconsin gave birth to a
daughter. Carl A Sundstrom and Emma Erickson were married on board July 16th."
In a letter
reporting to President William Budge it stated, "We had a pleasant voyage,
both as regards weather and good health. We followed your instructions in
regard to organizing the company into wards. Last evening the Saints enjoyed
themselves in singing, etc. The people are in good spirits. We are treated with
courtesy and respect by both officers and crew."
In another
letter to President Budge it stated, "The general health of the company
excellent, considering the large number of people and the warmth of the weather.
Altogether the passengers numbered 1,048 souls which, with the crew of 106,
made up a total of 1,154 on board. The brethren have done all they could to
comfort and cheer the Saints and, as a natural consequence, general
satisfaction was expressed by them. One incident occurred and that happened to
a son of Brother William Farnes, who fell, while playing, and dislocated his
arm. He is now on a fair way of recovery. I am happy to say that Brother Clark,
who left in feeble health, is much better."
